What is a word for a feeling of stress

What is the word for a feeling of stress?

Explore ‘stressed’ in the dictionary. (adjective) in the sense of anxious. Work out what situations or people make you feel stressed and avoid them. Synonyms. anxious.

What is a another word for Stressed?

Words Related to stressed. burned-out. (or burnt-out), exhausted, knackered.

What is another word for emotional stress?

What is another word for mental stress?

tension	stress
agitation	anxiety
pressure	apprehension
nervousness	restlessness
worry	edginess

How do you know if you are emotionally stressed?

Being more emotional than usual. Feeling overwhelmed or on edge. Trouble keeping track of things or remembering. Trouble making decisions, solving problems, concentrating, getting your work done.

What does remembering repressed memories feel like?

feelings of doom. low self-esteem. mood symptoms, such as anger, anxiety, and depression. confusion or problems with concentration and memory.

How do I know if I have childhood trauma?

TRAUMA CAN INCLUDE A VARIETY OF RESPONSES AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGES, SUCH AS:

• Intense and ongoing emotional upset, including feelings of fear, terror or under pressure.
• Anxiety or being in a state of constant alert.
• Depression.
• Nightmares or trouble sleeping.
• Changes in eating habits or loss of appetite.

Does childhood trauma ever go away?

Yes, unresolved childhood trauma can be healed. Seek out therapy with someone psychoanalytically or psychodynamically trained. A therapist who understands the impact of childhood experiences on adult life, particularly traumatic ones.

What is the best therapy for childhood trauma?

What treatment is available to help recover from childhood trauma?

• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing is another therapy for treating trauma and PTSD.
• Prolonged exposure therapy (PE)
• Play therapy.
• Art therapy.

What qualifies as childhood trauma?

“Child trauma” refers to a scary, dangerous, violent, or life threatening event that happens to a child (0-18 years of age). When these types of experiences happen, your child may become very overwhelmed, upset, and/or feel helpless.

How do you treat childhood trauma without therapy?

7 Ways to Heal Your Childhood Trauma

1. Acknowledge and recognize the trauma for what it is.
2. Reclaim control.
3. Seek support and don’t isolate yourself.
4. Take care of your health.
5. Learn the true meaning of acceptance and letting go.
6. Replace bad habits with good ones.
7. Be patient with yourself.

Can repressed memories come back?

Repressed memories can come back to you in various ways, including having a trigger, nightmares, flashbacks, body memories and somatic/conversion symptoms. This can lead to feelings of denial, shame, guilt, anger, hurt, sadness, numbness and so forth.

What happens in trauma therapy?

Trauma-focused therapy sessions aim to help youth discover skills and improve coping strategies to better respond to reminders and emotions associated with the traumatic event. Some of these skills include anxiety management and relaxation strategies that are taught in youth friendly ways.

How do you talk to trauma in therapy?

How to bring up past trauma in your therapy session:

1. Tell your therapist about your fears: You don’t have to dive into the deep end on your first try.
2. Write it down:
3. Remember you can stop at any time:

What is the most common drug prescribed for PTSD?

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors The SSRIs sertraline and paroxetine are the only medications approved by the FDA for PTSD.

Is PTSD considered a disability?

Simply having PTSD does mean that you are considered disabled, but if the symptoms of PTSD are so severe that they affect your ability to function in society or in the workplace, then this would be considered a disability.

Does PTSD cause social anxiety?

PTSD is known to cause problems with communication and unreasonable fear surrounding certain situations or people. People who have had a traumatic experience may develop social anxiety symptoms if they are not able to get effective treatment and recover from their trauma.

What happens if PTSD is left untreated?

Untreated PTSD from any trauma is unlikely to disappear and can contribute to chronic pain, depression, drug and alcohol abuse and sleep problems that impede a person’s ability to work and interact with others.

Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological strain. Stress is your body’s response to anything that requires attention or action. 

Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way you respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to your overall well-being.

Sometimes, the best way to manage your stress involves changing your situation. At other times, the best strategy involves changing the way you respond to the situation.

Signs of Stress

Stress can be short-term or long-term. Both can lead to a variety of symptoms, but chronic stress can take a serious toll on the body over time and have long-lasting health effects.

Some common signs of stress include:

• Changes in mood
• Clammy or sweaty palms
• Decreased sex drive
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty sleeping
• Digestive problems
• Dizziness
• Feeling anxious
• Frequent sickness
• Grinding teeth
• Headaches
• Low energy
• Muscle tension, especially in the neck and shoulders
• Physical aches and pains
• Racing heartbeat
• Trembling

Identifying Stress

What does stress feel like? What does stress feel like? It often contributes to irritability, fear, overwork, and frustration. You may feel physically exhausted, worn out, and unable to cope.

Stress is not always easy to recognize, but there are some ways to identify some signs that you might be experiencing too much pressure. Sometimes stress can come from an obvious source, but sometimes even small daily stresses from work, school, family, and friends can take a toll on your mind and body.

If you think stress might be affecting you, there are a few things you can watch for:

• Psychological signs such as difficulty concentrating, worrying, anxiety, and trouble remembering
• Emotional signs such as being angry, irritated, moody, or frustrated
• Physical signs such as high blood pressure, changes in weight, frequent colds or infections, and changes in the menstrual cycle and libido
• Behavioral signs such as poor self-care, not having time for the things you enjoy, or relying on drugs and alcohol to cope

Stress vs. Anxiety

Stress can sometimes be mistaken for anxiety, and experiencing a great deal of stress can contribute to feelings of anxiety. Experiencing anxiety can make it more difficult to cope with stress and may contribute to other health issues, including increased depression, susceptibility to illness, and digestive problems.

Stress and anxiety contribute to nervousness, poor sleep, high blood pressure, muscle tension, and excess worry. In most cases, stress is caused by external events, while anxiety is caused by your internal reaction to stress. Stress may go away once the threat or the situation resolves, whereas anxiety may persist even after the original stressor is gone.

Causes of Stress

There are many different things in life that can cause stress. Some of the main sources of stress include work, finances, relationships, parenting, and day-to-day inconveniences.

Stress can trigger the body’s response to a perceived threat or danger, known as the fight-or-flight response. During this reaction, certain hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are released. This speeds the heart rate, slows digestion, shunts blood flow to major muscle groups, and changes various other autonomic nervous functions, giving the body a burst of energy and strength.

When the perceived threat is gone, systems are designed to return to normal function via the relaxation response. But in cases of chronic stress, the relaxation response doesn’t occur often enough, and being in a near-constant state of fight-or-flight can cause damage to the body.

Stress can also lead to some unhealthy habits that have a negative impact on your health. For example, many people cope with stress by eating too much or by smoking. These unhealthy habits damage the body and create bigger problems in the long-term.

Types of Stress

Not all types of stress are harmful or even negative. Some of the different types of stress that you might experience include:

• Acute stress: Acute stress is a very short-term type of stress that can either be positive or more distressing; this is the type of stress we most often encounter in day-to-day life.
• Chronic stress: Chronic stress is stress that seems never-ending and inescapable, like the stress of a bad marriage or an extremely taxing job; chronic stress can also stem from traumatic experiences and childhood trauma.
• Episodic acute stress: Episodic acute stress is acute stress that seems to run rampant and be a way of life, creating a life of ongoing distress.
• Eustress: Eustress is fun and exciting. It’s known as a positive type of stress that can keep you energized. It’s associated with surges of adrenaline, such as when you are skiing or racing to meet a deadline. 

Impact of Stress

Stress can have several effects on your health and well-being. It can make it more challenging to deal with life’s daily hassles, affect your interpersonal relationships, and have detrimental effects on your health. The connection between your mind and body is apparent when you examine stress’s impact on your life.

Feeling stressed over a relationship, money, or living situation can create physical health issues. The inverse is also true. Health problems, whether you’re dealing with high blood pressure or diabetes, will also affect your stress level and mental health. When your brain experiences high degrees of stress, your body reacts accordingly.

Serious acute stress, like being involved in a natural disaster or getting into a verbal altercation, can trigger heart attacks, arrhythmias, and even sudden death. However, this happens mostly in individuals who already have heart disease.

Stress also takes an emotional toll. While some stress may produce feelings of mild anxiety or frustration, prolonged stress can also lead to burnout, anxiety disorders, and depression.

Chronic stress can have a serious impact on your health as well. If you experience chronic stress, your autonomic nervous system will be overactive, which is likely to damage your body.

Treatments for Stress

Stress is not a distinct medical diagnosis and there is no single, specific treatment for it. Treatment for stress focuses on changing the situation, developing stress coping skills, implementing relaxation techniques, and treating symptoms or conditions that may have been caused by chronic stress.

Some interventions that may be helpful include therapy, medication, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

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Psychotherapy

Some forms of therapy that may be particularly helpful in addressing symptoms of stress including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). CBT focuses on helping people identify and change negative thinking patterns, while MBSR utilizes meditation and mindfulness to help reduce stress levels.

Medication

Medication may sometimes be prescribed to address some specific symptoms that are related to stress. Such medications may include sleep aids, antacids, antidepressants, and anti-anxiety medications.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Some complementary approaches that may also be helpful for reducing stress include acupuncture, aromatherapy, massage, yoga, and meditation.

Coping With Stress

Although stress is inevitable, it can be manageable. When you understand the toll it takes on you and the steps to combat stress, you can take charge of your health and reduce the impact stress has on your life.

• Learn to recognize the signs of burnout. High levels of stress may place you at a high risk of burnout. Burnout can leave you feeling exhausted and apathetic about your job. When you start to feel symptoms of emotional exhaustion, it’s a sign that you need to find a way to get a handle on your stress.
• Try to get regular exercise. Physical activity has a big impact on your brain and your body. Whether you enjoy Tai Chi or you want to begin jogging, exercise reduces stress and improves many symptoms associated with mental illness.
• Take care of yourself. Incorporating regular self-care activities into your daily life is essential to stress management. Learn how to take care of your mind, body, and spirit and discover how to equip yourself to live your best life.
• Practice mindfulness in your life. Mindfulness isn’t just something you practice for 10 minutes each day. It can also be a way of life. Discover how to live more mindfully throughout your day so you can become more awake and conscious throughout your life.

Psychological stress
A man expressing stress

In psychology, stress is a feeling of emotional strain and pressure.^[1] Stress is a type of psychological pain. Small amounts of stress may be beneficial, as it can improve athletic performance, motivation and reaction to the environment. Excessive amounts of stress, however, can increase the risk of strokes, heart attacks, ulcers, and mental illnesses such as depression^[2] and also aggravation of a pre-existing condition.

Psychological stress can be external and related to the environment,^[3] but may also be caused by internal perceptions that cause an individual to experience anxiety or other negative emotions surrounding a situation, such as pressure, discomfort, etc., which they then deem stressful.

Hans Selye (1974) proposed four variations of stress.^[4] On one axis he locates good stress (eustress) and bad stress (distress). On the other is over-stress (hyperstress) and understress (hypostress). Selye advocates balancing these: the ultimate goal would be to balance hyperstress and hypostress perfectly and have as much eustress as possible.^[5]

The term «eustress» comes from the Greek root eu- which means «good» (as in «euphoria»).^[6] Eustress results when a person perceives a stressor as positive.^[7]
«Distress» stems from the Latin root dis- (as in «dissonance» or «disagreement»).^[6] Medically defined distress is a threat to the quality of life. It occurs when a demand vastly exceeds a person’s capabilities.^[7]

Causes[edit]

Neutrality of stressors[edit]

Stress is a non-specific response.^[5] It is neutral, and what varies is the degree of response. It is all about the context of the individual and how they perceive the situation. Hans Selye defined stress as “the nonspecific (that is, common) result of any demand upon the body, be the effect mental or somatic.”^[5] This includes the medical definition of stress as a physical demand and the colloquial definition of stress as a psychological demand. A stressor is inherently neutral meaning that the same stressor can cause either distress or eustress. It is individual differences and responses that induce either distress or eustress.^[8]

Types of stressors[edit]

A stressor is any event, experience, or environmental stimulus that causes stress in an individual.^[9] These events or experiences are perceived as threats or challenges to the individual and can be either physical or psychological. Researchers have found that stressors can make individuals more prone to both physical and psychological problems, including heart disease and anxiety.^[10]

Stressors are more likely to affect the health of an individual when they are «chronic, highly disruptive, or perceived as uncontrollable».^[10] In psychology, researchers generally classify the different types of stressors into four categories: 1) crises/catastrophes, 2) major life events, 3) daily hassles/microstressors, and 4) ambient stressors. According to Ursin (1988), the common factor between these categories is an inconsistency between expected events («set value») and perceived events («actual value») that cannot be resolved satisfactorily,^[11] which puts stress into the broader context of cognitive-consistency theory.^[12]

Crises/catastrophes[edit]

This type of stressor is unforeseen and unpredictable and, as such, is completely out of the control of the individual.^[10] Examples of crises and catastrophes include: devastating natural disasters, such as major floods or earthquakes, wars, pandemics, etc. Though rare in occurrence, this type of stressor typically causes a great deal of stress in a person’s life. A study conducted by Stanford University found that after natural disasters, those affected experienced a significant increase in stress level.^[10] Combat stress is a widespread acute and chronic problem. With the rapid pace and the urgency of firing first, episodes of accidentally killing friendly forces (“brother” killing “brother” or fratricide) may happen. Prevention requires stress reduction, emphasis on vehicle and other identification training, awareness of the tactical situation, and continual risk analysis by leaders at all levels.^[13]

Major life events[edit]

Common examples of major life events include: marriage, going to college, death of a loved one, birth of a child, divorce, moving houses, etc. These events, either positive or negative, can create a sense of uncertainty and fear, which will ultimately lead to stress. For instance, research has found the elevation of stress during the transition from high school to university, with college freshmen being about two times more likely to be stressed than final year students.^[14] Research has found major life events are somewhat less likely to be major causes of stress, due to their rare occurrences.^[10]

The length of time since occurrence and whether or not it is a positive or negative event are factors in whether or not it causes stress and how much stress it causes. Researchers have found that events that have occurred within the past month generally are not linked to stress or illness, while chronic events that occurred more than several months ago are linked to stress and illness^[15] and personality change.^[16] Additionally, positive life events are typically not linked to stress – and if so, generally only trivial stress – while negative life events can be linked to stress and the health problems that accompany it.^[10] However, positive experiences and positive life changes can predict decreases in neuroticism.^[16][17]

Daily hassles/microstressors[edit]

This category includes daily annoyances and minor hassles.^[10] Examples include: making decisions, meeting deadlines at work or school, traffic jams, encounters with irritating personalities, etc. Often, this type of stressor includes conflicts with other people. Daily stressors, however, are different for each individual, as not everyone perceives a certain event as stressful. For example, most people find public speaking to be stressful, but someone who has experience with it will not.

Daily hassles are the most frequently occurring type of stressor in most adults. The high frequency of hassles causes this stressor to have the most physiological effect on an individual. Carolyn Aldwin, Ph.D., conducted a study at the Oregon State University that examined the perceived intensity of daily hassles on an individual’s mortality. Aldwin’s study concluded that there is a strong correlation between individuals who rate their hassles as very intense and a high level of mortality. One’s perception of their daily stressors can have a modulating effect on the physiological impact of daily stressors.^[18]

There are three major psychological types of conflicts that can cause stress.

• The approach-approach conflict, occurs when a person is choosing between two equally attractive options, i.e. whether to go see a movie or to go see a concert.^[10]
• The avoidance-avoidance conflict, occurs where a person has to choose between two equally unattractive options, for example, to take out a second loan with unappealing terms to pay off the mortgage or to face foreclosure on one’s house.^[10]
• The approach-avoidance conflict,^[10] occurs when a person is forced to choose whether or not to partake in something that has both attractive and unattractive traits – such as whether or not to attend an expensive college (meaning taking out loans now, but also meaning a quality education and employment after graduation).

Travel-related stress results from three main categories: lost time, surprises (an unforeseen event such as lost or delayed baggage) and routine breakers (inability to maintain daily habits).^[19]

Ambient stressors[edit]

As their name implies, these are global (as opposed to individual) low-grade stressors that are a part of the background environment. They are defined as stressors that are «chronic, negatively valued, non-urgent, physically perceptible, and intractable to the efforts of individuals to change them».^[20] Typical examples of ambient stressors are pollution, noise, crowding, and traffic. Unlike the other three types of stressor, ambient stressors can (but do not necessarily have to) negatively impact stress without conscious awareness.^[20]

Organizational stressors[edit]

Studies conducted in military and combat fields show that some of the most potent stressors can be due to personal organizational problems in the unit or on the home front.^[21] Stress due to bad organizational practices is often connected to «Toxic Leadership», both in companies and in governmental organizations.^[22]

Stressor impact[edit]

Life events scales can be used to assess stressful things that people experience in their lives. One such scale is the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, also known as the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, or SRRS.^[23] Developed by psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe in 1967, the scale lists 43 stressful events.

To calculate one’s score, add up the number of «life change units» if an event occurred in the past year. A score of more than 300 means that individual is at risk for illness, a score between 150 and 299 means risk of illness is moderate, and a score under 150 means that individual only has a slight risk of illness.^[10][23]

Life event	Life change units
Death of a spouse	100
Divorce	73
Marital separation	65
Imprisonment	63
Death of a close family member	63
Personal injury or illness	53
Marriage	50
Dismissal from work	47
Marital reconciliation	45
Retirement	45
Change in health of family member	44
Pregnancy	40
Sexual difficulties	39
Gain a new family member	39
Business readjustment	39
Change in financial state	38
Death of a close friend	37
Change to different line of work	36
Change in frequency of arguments	35
Major mortgage	32
Foreclosure of mortgage or loan	30
Change in responsibilities at work	29
Child leaving home	29
Trouble with in-laws	29
Outstanding personal achievement	28
Spouse starts or stops work	26
Begin or end school	26
Change in living conditions	25
Revision of personal habits	24
Trouble with boss	23
Change in working hours or conditions	20
Change in residence	20
Change in schools	20
Change in recreation	19
Change in church activities	19
Change in social activities	18
Minor mortgage or loan	17
Change in sleeping habits	16
Change in number of family reunions	15
Change in eating habits	14
Vacation	13
Minor violation of law	10

A modified version was made for non-adults. The scale is below.^[10]

Life event	Life change units
Unwed pregnancy	100
Death of parent	100
Getting married	95
Divorce of parents	90
Acquiring a visible deformity	80
Fathering an unwed pregnancy	70
Jail sentence of parent for over one year	70
Marital separation of parents	69
Death of a brother or sister	68
Change in acceptance by peers	67
Pregnancy of unwed sister	64
Discovery of being an adopted child	63
Marriage of parent to stepparent	63
Death of a close friend	63
Having a visible congenital deformity	62
Serious illness requiring hospitalization	58
Failure of a grade in school	56
Not making an extracurricular activity	55
Hospitalization of a parent	55
Jail sentence of parent for over 30 days	53
Breaking up with boyfriend or girlfriend	53
Beginning to date	51
Suspension from school	50
Becoming involved with drugs or alcohol	50
Birth of a brother or sister	50
Increase in arguments between parents	47
Loss of job by parent	46
Outstanding personal achievement	46
Change in parent’s financial status	45
Accepted at college of choice	43
Being a senior in high school	42
Hospitalization of a sibling	41
Increased absence of parent from home	38
Brother or sister leaving home	37
Addition of third adult to family	34
Becoming a full-fledged member of a church	31
Decrease in arguments between parents	27
Decrease in arguments with parents	26
Mother or father beginning work	26

The SRRS is used in psychiatry to weight the impact of life events.^[24]

Measurement[edit]

Modern people may attempt to self-assess their own «stress-level»; third parties (sometimes clinicians) may also provide qualitative evaluations. Quantitative approaches such as Galvanic Skin Response^[25] or other measurements giving results which may correlate with perceived psychological stress include testing for one or more of the several stress hormones,^[26] for cardiovascular responses,^[27] or for immune response.^[28] There are some valid questionnaires to assess stress level such as, Higher Education Stress Inventory (HESI) is a valid questionnaire used in many communities for assessment the stress level of college students.^[29][30]
There are many (psycho-)physiological measurement methods that correlate more or less well with psychological stress (mental or emotional) and are thus used as a possible indicator.^{[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]}

In the physiological domain of oculomotor function alone, several physiological responses are suspected to detect different stress situations in a person-specific and objective manner (not by means of a survey). For example, via eye movement and gaze behavior,^[40][41][42] via pupil behavior^{[43][44][45][46]} and via eyelid blink behavior (Blinking).^{[47][48][40][49][50]}

Physical effects[edit]

To measure the body’s response to stress, psychologists tend to use Hans Selye’s general adaptation syndrome. This biological model, often referred to as the «classic stress response», revolves around the concept of homeostasis. General adaptive syndrome, according to this system, occurs in three stages:

1. The alarm reaction. This stage occurs when the stressor is first presented. The body begins to gather resources to deal with the stressor. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system are activated, resulting in the release of hormones from the adrenal gland such as cortisol, adrenaline (epinephrine), and norepinephrine into the bloodstream to adjust bodily processes. These hormonal adjustments increase energy-levels, increase muscle tension, reduce sensitivity to pain, slow down the digestive system, and cause a rise in blood pressure.^[51][52] In addition, the locus coeruleus, a collection of norepinephrine-containing neurons in the pons of the brainstem whose axons project to various regions of the brain, is involved in releasing norepinephrine directly onto neurons. High levels of norepinephrine acting as a neurotransmitter on its receptors expressed on neurons in brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex, are thought^{[by whom?]} to be involved in the effects of stress on executive functions, such as impaired working memory.
2. The stage of resistance. The body continues building up resistance throughout the stage of resistance, either until the body’s resources are depleted, leading to the exhaustion phase, or until the stressful stimulus is removed. As the body uses up more and more of its resources, it becomes increasingly tired and susceptible to illness. At this stage psychosomatic disorders first begin to appear.^[52]
3. The stage of exhaustion. The body is completely drained of the hormones and resources it was depending on to manage the stressor. The person now begins to exhibit behaviors such as anxiety, irritability, avoidance of responsibilities and relationships, self-destructive behavior, and poor judgment. Someone experiencing these symptoms has a much greater chance of lashing out, damaging relationships, or avoiding social interaction at all.^[52]

This physiological stress response involves high levels of sympathetic nervous system activation, often referred to as the «fight or flight» response. The response Archived 2012-10-10 at the Wayback Machine involves pupil dilation, release of endorphins, increased heart and respiration rates, cessation of digestive processes, secretion of adrenaline, arteriole dilation, and constriction of veins.^{[53][need quotation to verify]}

Cancer[edit]

Psychological stress does not appear to be a risk factor for the onset of cancer,^[54][55] though it may worsen outcomes in those who already have cancer.^[54] Research has found that personal belief in stress as a risk factor for cancer was common in England, though awareness of risk factors overall was found to be low.^[56]

Other effects[edit]

There is likely a connection between stress and illness.^{[57][need quotation to verify]} Theories of a proposed stress–illness link suggest that both acute and chronic stress can cause illness, and studies have found such a link.^[58] According to these theories, both kinds of stress can lead to changes in behavior and in physiology. Behavioral changes can involve smoking- and eating-habits and physical activity. Physiological changes can be changes in sympathetic activation or hypothalamic pituitary adrenocorticoid activation, and immunological function.^[59] However, there is much variability in the link between stress and illness.^[60]

There is some evidence that stress can make the individual more susceptible to physical illnesses like the common cold. «Although chronic (but not acute) stressful events are associated with greater susceptibility, the association between social diversity and colds is not altered after controlling for life events.»^[61] Stressful events, such as job changes, correlate with insomnia, impaired sleeping, and health complaints.^[62] Research indicates the type of stressor (whether it is acute or chronic) and individual characteristics such as age and physical well-being before the onset of the stressor can combine to determine the effect of stress on an individual.^[63] An individual’s personality characteristics (such as level of neuroticism),^[16] genetics, and childhood experiences with major stressors and traumas^[17] may also dictate their response to stressors.^[63] Stress may also cause headaches.^[64]

Chronic stress and a lack of coping resources available or used by an individual can often lead to the development of psychological issues such as depression and anxiety (see below for further information).^[65] This is particularly true regarding chronic stressors. These are stressors that may not be as intense as an acute stressor like a natural disaster or a major accident, but they persist over longer periods of time. These types of stressors tend to have a more negative impact on health because they are sustained and thus require the body’s physiological response to occur daily. This depletes the body’s energy more quickly and usually occurs over long periods of time, especially when such microstressors cannot be avoided (for example: stress related to living in a dangerous neighborhood). See allostatic load for further discussion of the biological process by which chronic stress may affect the body. For example, studies have found that caregivers, particularly those of dementia patients, have higher levels of depression and slightly worse physical health than non-caregivers.^[66]

Studies have also shown that perceived chronic stress and the hostility associated with Type A personalities are often correlated with much higher risks of cardiovascular disease.^[67] This occurs because of the compromised immune system as well as the high levels of arousal in the sympathetic nervous system that occur as part of the body’s physiological response to stressful events.^[68] However, it is possible for individuals to exhibit hardiness – a term referring to the ability to be both chronically stressed and healthy.^[69] Chronic stress can correlate with psychological disorders such as delusions.^[70] Pathological anxiety and chronic stress lead to structural degeneration and impaired functioning of the hippocampus.^[71]

It has long been believed^{[by whom?]} that negative affective states, such as feelings of anxiety and depression, could influence the pathogenesis of physical disease, which in turn, have direct effects on biological process that could result in increased risk of disease in the end. However, studies done by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and other places have shown this to be partly untrue; although perceived stress seems to increase the risk of reported poor health, the additional perception of stress as something harmful increases the risk even further.^[72][73] For example, when humans are under chronic stress, permanent changes in their physiological, emotional, and behavioral responses are most likely to occur.^[16][74] Such changes could lead to disease.^{[citation needed]} Chronic stress results from stressful events that persist over a relatively long period of time, such as caring for a spouse with dementia, or results from brief focal events that continue to be experienced as overwhelming even long after they are over, such as experiencing a sexual assault.

Experiments show that when healthy human individuals are exposed to acute laboratory stressors, they show an adaptive enhancement of some markers of natural immunity but a general suppression of functions of specific immunity. By comparison, when healthy human individuals are exposed to real-life chronic stress, this stress is associated with a biphasic immune response where partial suppression of cellular and humoral function coincides with low-grade, nonspecific inflammation.^[75]

Even though psychological stress is often connected with illness or disease, most healthy individuals can still remain disease-free after confronting chronic stressful events. Also, people who do not believe that stress will affect their health do not have an increased risk of illness, disease, or death.^[73] This suggests that there are individual differences in vulnerability to the potential pathogenic effects of stress; individual differences in vulnerability arise due to both genetic and psychological factors. In addition, the age at which the stress is experienced can dictate its effect on health. Research suggests chronic stress at a young age can have lifelong impacts on the biological, psychological, and behavioral responses to stress later in life.^[76]

[edit]

Communication[edit]

When someone is stressed, many challenges can arise; a recognized challenge being communication difficulties. Here are some examples of how stress can hinder communication.

The cultures of the world generally fall into two categories; individualistic and collectivistic.^[77]

• An individualistic culture, like that of the United States, where everyone is an independent entity defined by their accomplishments and goals.
• A collectivistic culture, like that of many Asian countries, prefers to see individuals as interdependent on each other. They value modesty and family.

These cultural differences can affect how people communicate when they are stressed. For example, a member of an individualistic culture would be hesitant to ask for pain medication for fear of being perceived as weak. A member of a collectivistic culture would not hesitate. They have been brought up in a culture where everyone helps each other and is one functional unit whereas the member of the individualistic culture is not as comfortable asking others for aid.^[77]

Language barriers[edit]

Language barriers can cause stress, and sometimes this stress adds to language barriers. People may feel uncomfortable with the difficulties caused by of differences in syntax, vocabulary, ways of showing respect, and use of body language. Along with a desire for successful social interactions, being uncomfortable with the communication around a person can discourage them from communicating at all, thus adding to the language barrier. This barrier can cause cultures to divide and could result to the reasoning why people are more comfortable talking to people within their culture.

The System 1 – System 2 model of Daniel Kahneman (Thinking Fast and Slow) and others would distinguish between automatic responses, such as one’s native language would be, and a foreign language that required System 2 work to translate. System 2 can become «depleted» by conscious mental effort, making it more difficult and stressful.^[78]

Changes in the home[edit]

Divorce, death, and remarriage are all disruptive events in a household.^[77] Although everyone involved is affected by events such as these, it can be most drastically seen in children. Due to their age, children have relatively undeveloped coping skills.^[79] For this reason a stressful event may cause some changes in their behavior. Falling in with a new crowd, developing some new and sometimes undesirable habits are just some of the changes stress may trigger in their lives.^[77]

A particularly interesting response to stress is talking to an imaginary friend. A child may feel angry with a parent or their peers who they feel brought this change on them. They need someone to talk to but it definitely would not be the person with whom they are angry. That is when the imaginary friend comes in. They “talk” to this imaginary friend but in doing so they cut off communication with the real people around them.^[77]

Social support and health[edit]

Researchers have long been interested in how an individual’s level and types of social support impact the effect of stress on their health. Studies consistently show that social support can protect against physical and mental consequences of stress.^[80][81] This can occur through a variety of mechanisms. One model, known as the «direct effects» model, holds that social support has a direct, positive impact on health by increasing positive affect, promoting adaptive health behaviors, predictability and stability in life, and safeguarding against social, legal, and economic concerns that could negatively impact health. Another model, the «buffering effect», says that social support exerts greatest influence on health in times of stress, either by helping individuals appraise situations in less threatening manners or coping with the actual stress. Researchers have found evidence to support both these pathways.^[82]

Social support is defined more specifically as psychological and material resources provided by a social network that are aimed at helping an individual cope with stress.^[83] Researchers generally distinguish among several types of social support: instrumental support – which refers to material aid (e.g., financial support or assistance in transportation to a physician’s appointment), informational support (e.g., knowledge, education or advice in problem-solving), and emotional support (e.g., empathy, reassurance, etc.).^[83] Social support can reduce the rate of stress during pregnancy. Studies have found that those who had a large change in their life with a small amount of social support has a higher chance of complications. Whereas those with a larger support system would have a chance for less complications.^[84]

Management[edit]

Stress management refers to a wide spectrum of techniques and psychotherapies aimed at controlling a person’s levels of stress, especially chronic stress, usually for the purpose of improving everyday functioning. It involves controlling and reducing the tension that occurs in stressful situations by making emotional and physical changes.

Prevention and resilience building[edit]

Decreasing stressful behaviors is a part of prevention. Some of the common strategies and techniques are: self-monitoring, tailoring, material reinforcement, social reinforcement, social support, self-contracting, contracting with significant other, shaping, reminders, self-help groups, and professional help.^{[85][further explanation needed]}

Although many techniques have traditionally been developed to deal with the consequences of stress, considerable research has also been conducted on the prevention of stress, a subject closely related to psychological resilience-building. A number of self-help approaches to stress-prevention and resilience-building have been developed, drawing mainly on the theory and practice of cognitive-behavioral therapy.^[86]

Biofeedback may also play a role in stress management. A randomized study by Sutarto et al. assessed the effect of resonant breathing biofeedback (recognize and control involuntary heart rate variability) among manufacturing operators; depression, anxiety and stress significantly decreased.^{[87][non-primary source needed]}

Exercising to reduce stress[edit]

Studies have shown that exercise reduces stress.^[88][25] Exercise effectively reduces fatigue, improves sleep, enhances overall cognitive function such as alertness and concentration, decreases overall levels of tension, and improves self-esteem.^[88] Because many of these are depleted when an individual experiences chronic stress, exercise provides an ideal coping mechanism. Despite popular belief, it is not necessary for exercise to be routine or intense in order to reduce stress; as little as five minutes of aerobic exercise can begin to stimulate anti-anxiety effects.^[88] Further, a 10-minute walk may have the same psychological benefits as a 45-minute workout, reinforcing the assertion that exercise in any amount or intensity will reduce stress.^[88] Cycling and walking activities have lower stress scores when compared to other modes of transport or commuting.^[25]

Theoretical explanations[edit]

A multitude of theories have been presented in attempts to explain why exercise effectively reduces stress. One theory, known as the time-out hypothesis, claims that exercise provides distraction from the stressor. The time out hypothesis claims that exercise effectively reduces stress because it gives individuals a break from their stressors. This was tested in a recent study of college women who had identified studying as their primary stressor.^[89] The women were then placed under four conditions at varying times: «rest,» «studying,» «exercising,» and «studying while exercising.» The stress levels of the participants were measured through self-assessments of stress and anxiety symptoms after each condition. The results demonstrated that the «exercise» condition had the most significant reduction in stress and anxiety symptoms.^[89] These results demonstrate the validity of the time-out hypothesis.^[89] It is also important to note that exercise provided greater stress reduction than rest.

Coping mechanisms[edit]

The Lazarus and Folkman model suggests that external events create a form of pressure to achieve, engage in, or experience a stressful situation. Stress is not the external event itself, but rather an interpretation and response to the potential threat; this is when the coping process begins.^[90]

There are various ways individuals deal with perceived threats that may be stressful. However, people have a tendency to respond to threats with a predominant coping style, in which they dismiss feelings, or manipulate the stressful situation.^[90]

There are different classifications for coping, or defense mechanisms, however they all are variations on the same general idea: There are good/productive and negative/counterproductive ways to handle stress. Because stress is perceived, the following mechanisms do not necessarily deal with the actual situation that is causing an individual stress. However, they may be considered coping mechanisms if they allow the individual to cope better with the negative feelings/anxiety that they are experiencing due to the perceived stressful situation, as opposed to actually fixing the concrete obstacle causing the stress. The following mechanisms are adapted from the DSM-IV Adaptive Functioning Scale, APA, 1994.

Another way individuals can cope with stress is by the way one perceives stress. Perceptions of stress are critical for making decisions and living everyday life. The outlook or the way an individual perceives the given situation can affect the manner to which the individual handles stress, whether it be positive or negative. Too much stress can be detrimental to the individual and can cause negative psychological and physical health effects.^[91]

Highly adaptive/active/problem-focused mechanisms[edit]

These skills are what one could call as “facing the problem head on”, or at least dealing with the negative emotions experienced by stress in a constructive manner. (generally adaptive)

• Affiliation («tend and befriend») – involves dealing with stress by turning to a social network for support, but an individual does not share with others in order to diffuse or avoid the responsibility.^[92][93]
• Humour – the individual steps outside of a situation in order to gain greater perspective, and also to highlight any comic aspect to be found in their stressful circumstances.^[92]

“The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humour defines therapeutic humour as ‘any intervention that promotes health and wellness by stimulating a playful discovery, expression or appreciation of the absurdity of or incongruity of life’s situations. This intervention may enhance health or be used as a complementary treatment of illness to facilitate healing or coping whether physical, emotional, cognitive, or spiritual”.^[94]

Sigmund Freud, a well known neurologist, suggests the humour was an excellent defensive strategy in emotional situations.^[90] When one laughs during a tough situation they feel absent from their worries, and this allows them to think differently.^[94] When one experiences a different mind set, they feel more in control of their response, and how they would go about dealing with the event that caused stress.

Lefcourt (2001) suggests that this perspective-taking humour is the most effective due to its ability to distance oneself from the situation of great stress.^[95] Studies show that the use of laughter and humour creates a sense of relief of stress that can last up to 45 minutes post-laughter.^[94]

Also, most hospitalized children have been seen to use laughter and play to relieve their fear, pain and stress. It has been discovered that there is a great importance in the use of laughter and humour in stress coping.^[94] Humans should use humour as a means to transcend their original understanding of an external event, take a different perspective, in which their anxiety may be minimized by.

• Sublimation – allows an «indirect resolution of conflict with neither adverse consequences nor consequences marked by loss of pleasure.»^[96] Essentially, this mechanism allows channeling of troubling emotions or impulses into an outlet that is socially acceptable.
• Positive reappraisal – redirects thoughts (cognitive energy) to good things that are either occurring or have not occurred. This can lead to personal growth, self-reflection, and awareness of the power/benefits of one’s efforts.^[97] For example, studies on veterans of war or peacekeeping operations indicate that persons who construe a positive meaning from their combat or threat experiences tend to adjust better than those who do not.^[98]

The final path model fitted well (CF1 = 1, RMSEA = 0.00) and showed that direct quality of life paths with β = -0.2, and indirect social support with β = -0.088 had the most effects on reduction of stress during pregnancy.^{[non sequitur]}
Other adaptive coping mechanisms include anticipation, altruism, and self-observation.

Mental inhibition/disavowal mechanisms[edit]

These mechanisms cause the individual to have a diminished (or in some cases non-existent) awareness about their anxiety, threatening ideas, fears, etc., that come from being conscious of the perceived threat.

• Displacement – This is when an individual redirects their emotional feelings about one situation to another, less threatening one.^[99]
• Repression – Repression occurs when an individual attempts to remove all their thoughts, feelings, and anything related to the upsetting/stressful (perceived) threat out of their awareness in order to be disconnected from the entire situation. When done long enough in a successful way, this is more than just denial.
• Reaction formation – An attempt to remove any “unacceptable thoughts” from one’s consciousness by replacing them with the exact opposite.^[100]

Other inhibition coping mechanisms include undoing, dissociation, denial, projection, and rationalization. Although some people claim that inhibition coping mechanisms may eventually increase the stress level because the problem is not solved, detaching from the stressor can sometimes help people to temporarily release the stress and become more prepared to deal with problems later on.

Active mechanisms[edit]

These methods deal with stress by an individual literally taking action, or withdrawing.

• Acting out – Often viewed as counter-normative, or problematic behavior. Instead of reflecting or problem-solving, an individual takes maladaptive action.^[93]
• Passive aggression – When an individual indirectly deals with their anxiety and negative thoughts/feelings stemming from their stress by acting in a hostile or resentful manner towards others. Help-Rejecting Complaining can also be included in this category.

Health promotion[edit]

There is an alternative method to coping with stress, in which one works to minimize their anxiety and stress in a preventative manner.

Suggested strategies to improve stress management include:^[101]

1. Regular exercise – set up a fitness program, 3–4 times a week
2. Support systems – to listen, offer advice, and support each other
3. Time management – develop an organizational system
4. Guided imagery and visualization – create a relaxing state of mind
5. Progressive muscle relaxation – loosen tense muscle groups
6. Assertiveness training – work on effective communication
7. Journal writing – express true emotion, self-reflection
8. Stress management in the workplace – organize a new system, switch tasks to reduce own stress.

Depending on the situation, all of these coping mechanisms may be adaptive, or maladaptive.

History[edit]

Prior to the introduction of the concept «stress» in the psychological sense c. 1955,^[102][103] people already identified a range of more nuanced ideas to describe and confront such emotions as worry, grief, concern,^[104] obsession, fear, annoyance, anxiety, distress, suffering and passion.^[105]«Stress» has subsequently become a mainstay of pop psychology.^[106][107] Though stress is discussed throughout history from many distinct topics and cultures, there is no universal consensus over describing stress.^[108] This has led to multiple kinds of research, looking at the different aspects of psychological stress and how it changes over a lifespan.^[108]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Kelly McGonigal (2015). The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It. Avery. ISBN 978-1583335611.
• Ian Robertson (2017). The Stress Test: How Pressure Can Make You Stronger and Sharper. Bloomsbury USA. ISBN 978-1632867292.

External links[edit]

• «Manage Stress — healthfinder.gov». healthfinder.gov. Retrieved 2019-07-22.

Методическая разработка

по теме «Стресс»

Болтунова

Ирина Владимировна

Санкт-Петербург

2019

Методическая разработка

по теме «Стресс»

      Пояснительная записка

Представленная методическая разработка состоит из комплекса специально подобранных текстов на английском языке по теме «Стресс» и учебно-тренировочных заданий к ним.

Данная методическая разработка является результатом работы преподавателя английского языка Болтуновой И.В. Аутентичные адаптированные тексты носят информационно-обучающий характер в рамках изучаемых студентами колледжа психолого-педагогических дисциплин.

Обращение к психолого-педагогической тематике на уроках иностранного языка повышает, на наш взгляд, познавательный интерес и мотивацию студентов, показывает универсальность и прикладной характер знаний, получаемых на разных предметах, способствует развитию умения их переноса. Данная подборка предназначена для студентов всех отделений и имеет целью развитие и укрепление межпредметных связей в процессе обучения педагогике, психологии и иностранному языку через реализацию конкретных задач:

В области психологии:

-как можно более полное раскрытие самого понятия «Стресс»;

— выявление причин стресса и его последствий.

В области педагогики:

-ознакомление с различными способами борьбы со стрессом, путями предупреждения его появления.

В области иностранного языка:

-развитие языковых умений;

— овладение новой лексикой по теме «Стресс»;

— совершенствование грамматического навыка.

Методическая разработка по теме «Стресс» предназначена для студентов всех отделений.

Целью методической разработки по теме «Стресс» является познакомить студентов с самим понятием стресс, его причинами, положительными и отрицательными последствиями. Кроме того, предложить различные способы борьбы со стрессом, и все это на английском языке. Таким образом, данные дидактические материалы помогут не только углубить знания по предложенной теме, но и одновременно с этим улучшить свои знания по английскому языку.

Методическая разработка по теме «Стресс» состоят из текстов и заданий к ним, которые направлены на проверку и закрепление изучаемого материала. Можно увидеть следующие задания: подобрать синоним, вычеркнуть лишнее слово, определить слово по его определению, найти соответствующий английский эквивалент, вставить подходящие слова, соединить выражения и другие. Также здесь представлены задания, направленные на понимание текста: ответить на вопросы, определить верно высказывание или нет, завершить предложения. В конце представлен ряд заданий, которые помогут обобщить изученный материал. Данные дидактические материалы содержат ответы на все задания.

Данная методическая разработка содержит ответы ко всем заданиям. Предложенный материал может быть использован как преподавателями на занятиях, так и самими студентами самостоятельно.

.

                           What Is Stress?

We generally use the word «stress» when we feel that everything seems to have become too much — we are overloaded and wonder whether we really can cope with the pressures placed upon us. Anything that poses a challenge or a threat to our well-being is a stress. Some stresses get you going and they are good for you — without any stress at all many say our lives would be boring and would probably feel pointless. However, when the stresses undermine both our mental and physical health they are bad. In this text we will be focusing on stress that is bad for you.

Fight or flight response

The way you respond to a challenge may also be a type of stress. Part of your response to a challenge is physiological and affects your physical state. When faced with a challenge or a threat, your body activates resources to protect you — to either get away as fast as you can, or fight. If you are upstairs at home and an earthquake starts, the faster you can get yourself and your family out the more likely you are all to survive. If you need to save somebody’s life during that earthquake, by lifting a heavy weight that has fallen on them during the earthquake, you will need components in your body to be activated to give you that extra strength -that extra push. 

Our fight-or-flight response is our body’s sympathetic nervous system reacting to a stressful event. Our body produces larger quantities of the chemicals cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline, which trigger a higher heart rate, heightened muscle preparedness, sweating, and alertness — all these factors help us protect ourselves in a dangerous or challenging situation.  

Non-essential body functions slow down, such as our digestive and immune systems when we are in fight-or flight response mode. All resources can then be concentrated on rapid breathing, blood flow, alertness and muscle use. 

So, let’s recap, when we are stressed the following happens:

• Blood pressure rises
• Breathing becomes more rapid
• Digestive system slows down
• Heart rate (pulse) rises
• Immune system goes down
• Muscles become tense
• We do not sleep (heightened state of alertness)

Most of us have varying interpretations of what stress is about and what matters. Some of us focus on what happens to us, such as breaking a bone or getting a promotion, while others think more about the event itself. What really matters are our thoughts about the situations in which we find ourselves. 
          We are continually sizing up situations that confront us in life. We assess each situation, deciding whether something is a threat, how we can deal with it and what resources we can use. If we conclude that the required resources needed to effectively deal with a situation are beyond what we have available, we say that that situation is stressful — and we react with a classical stress response. On the other hand, if we decide our available resources and skills are more than enough to deal with a situation, it is not seen as stressful to us. 

Positive and Negative Stress

Signs of positive stress

1. Increased creativity: not only in making or creating things but also in developing new ways to solve problems or finding better ways of doing things.

2. Increased productivity at work and on a personal level.

3. A general feeling of wellbeing, happiness and joy. It is your birthright to lead a happy, fulfilled live during your stay here on earth.

4. An immune system that functions optimally and is able to resist illness, infections, and cancer. Even if you are surrounded by people carrying all sorts of germs, you simply will not become ill.

Warning signs of negative stress

1. Reduced productivity and creativity: nothing works the way it should. Everything is too much for you. You struggle or cannot find solution to problems. Because you are terrified of making the wrong decision, you end up not making any decision at all. You are unable to concentrate or remember things. Depression starts in much the same way.

2. A reduce feeling of wellbeing, joy and happiness: you no longer enjoy anything and don’t look forward to anything. Everything is a burden. These symptoms can be precursors of depression unless you take proper precautions in time.

3. All sort of unfortunate things happen to you. You become so preoccupied with the daily stress of living that, you are unable to focus or concentrate. This easily lead to car accidents, you drop and break things or lose them. You cannot remember anything; you cut yourself on a regular basis etc…

4. You start avoiding social contact. Shunning people for a long period is also a sign of depression. Remember that socialising is one of the basic human needs.

5. Your immune system functions poorly and suffers from colds, influenza, allergies, chronic fatigue, anxiety etc… Unless you take the necessary steps to restore your equilibrium.

6. The ageing process accelerates because of the increased metabolism associated with sustained, unmanaged stress. Free radicals and other waste products accumulate add cell activity deteriorates resulting in premature age.

Task 1.  Answer the questions

1. What happens with processes in our body when we are stressed? (at least 3)

2. Name 3 chemicals that our body produces in larger quantities when we are stressed.

3. Which body functions slows down when we are under stress? (1 word — adjective)

4. What is stress?

5. Which types of response on stressful situation do you know?

Task 2.  Find the synonym in the text.

1. frighten, intimidate

2. weight, load, onus

3. balance, poise

4. decrease, diminish

5. avoid, escape, evade

6. early, untimely, precocious

7. appropriate, due

8. oppose, fight back ,withstand

9. concern, worry

10. gladness, rejoicing, cheer

Task 3. Find the odd word. 

1. Our body produces the chemicals: cortisol, adrenaline, noradrenaline, allergy.
2. Reaction to stressful events : heartbeat, sweating,  heightened muscle preparedness, increased creativity.
3.  Your immune system functions poorly and suffers from: chronic fatigue, anxiety, colds, lack of communication.
4. If you are upstairs at home and suddenly begins: earthquake, tsunami, fire, shaking hands, don’t panic.
5. If you’re in a stressful situation, you start: to sweat, to be nervous, to panic, to dance.
6. The first signs of negative stress: nothing works the way it should, you are unable to concentrate, you can not remember anything, you can easily lift the mood
7. The first signs of positive stress: increased creativity, increased productivity, a general feeling of wellbeing, a reduced feeling of wellbeing.
8. Your immune system, that functions optimally, is able to resist: diseases, infections, cancer, people.
9. All sort of unfortunate things happen to you: you can cut yourself, break things, lose things, be promoted.

Task 4.  You can see the definition of the word, guess the word (find it in the text).

1.  А system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease.
2. A hormone that is released during stressful situations.
3. A state of low mood and aversion to activity.
4. An organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions.
5. The production of a fluid consisting primarily of water as well as various dissolved solids (chiefly chlorides), that is excreted by the sweat glands in the skin of mammals.
6. It is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust that creates seismic waves.
7. The reactions that occur when a person’s immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment .
8. It is a steroid hormone, more specifically a glucocorticoid, produced by the zona fasciculata of the adrenal gland.
9. This disease is known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a broad group of various diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth.
10.  It is the invasion of body tissues by disease-causing microorganisms, their multiplication and the reaction of body tissues to these microorganisms and the toxins that they produce.

Task 5. Insert the corresponding expressions

precursors of depression — a sign of depression — restore your equilibrium — sustained  unmanaged stress – concentrate – infections  and cancer — solve problems

1. A reduce feeling of wellbeing, joy and happiness — these symptoms can be ………. .
2. You start avoiding social contact. Shunning people for a long period is also ………. .
3. Your immune system functions poorly and suffers from colds, influenza, allergies, chronic fatigue, anxiety etc… Unless you take the necessary steps to ………. .
4. The ageing process accelerates because of the increased metabolism associated with ………. .
5. You become so preoccupied with the daily stress of living that, you are unable to focus or ………. .
6. An immune system that functions optimally and is able to resist illness, ……….
7. Increased creativity: not only in making or creating things but also in developing new ways to ………. or finding better ways of doing things.

Task 6. True or false. (Text «Positive and Negative Stress»)

1. Positive stress enhances creativity.
2. You begin to avoid social contacts because of the stress.
3. Stress helps us to not get sick for a long time.
4. The aging process is accelerated due to stress.
5. Stress may soon lead to major depression.
6. Positive stress contributes to increased productivity.
7. In the stressful condition, you can get in an accident.
8. Due to stress, you begin to communicate more with people.
9. Thanks to the positive stress the immune system is working optimally.
10.  A person subjected to stress does not suffer from insomnia.

               The Effects of Stress

       There is a famous expression in English: «Stop the world, I want to get off!» This expression refers to a feeling of panic, or stress, that makes a person want to stop whatever they are doing, try to relax, and become calm again. ‘Stress’ means pressure or tension. It is one of the most common causes of health problems in modern life. Too much stress results in physical, emotional, and mental health problems.
                There are numerous physical effects of stress. Stress can affect the heart. It can increase the pulse rate, make the heart miss beats, and can cause high blood pressure. Stress can affect the respiratory system. It can lead to asthma. It can cause a person to breathe too fast, resulting in a loss of important carbon dioxide. Stress can affect the stomach. It can cause stomach aches and problems digesting food. These are only a few examples of the wide range of illnesses and symptoms resulting from stress.

         Emotions are also easily affected by stress. People suffering from stress often feel anxious. They may have panic attacks. They may feel tired all the time. When people are under stress, they often overreact to little problems. For example, a normally gentle parent under a lot of stress at work may yell at a child for dropping a glass of juice. Stress can make people angry, moody, or nervous.
                Long-term stress can lead to a variety of serious mental illnesses. Depression, an extreme feeling of sadness and hopelessness, can be the result of continued and increasing stress. Alcoholism and other addictions often develop as a result of overuse of alcohol or drugs to try to relieve stress. Eating disorders, such as anorexia, are sometimes caused by stress and are often made worse by stress. If stress is allowed to continue, then one’s mental health is put at risk.
                It is obvious that stress is a serious problem. It attacks the body. It affects the emotions. Untreated, it may eventually result in mental illness. Stress has a great influence on the health and well-being of our bodies, our feelings, and our minds. So, reduce stress: stop the world and rest for a while.

Task 7. Replace the Russian word with the corresponding English equivalents.

1. (психическое) health            
2. (дыхательная) system        
3. Blood (давление)                  
4. Feel (тревогу)                      
5. (остро реагировать) to a little problems    
6. (обостренноe) feel                
7. (облегчить) stress              
8. (злоупотребление) of alcohol      
9. (длительный) stress              
10.  (влиять на) heart            

                                   Stress

They say that «Life is a big headache on a long noisy road.» This statement truly explains life nowadays. Life in the twenty first century is full of stress. From dawn to dusk, everyone has to go through a rigorous schedule. Even children are not exempt from this rush. Everyday there are deadlines to meet, reports to write, bills to pay, meetings to attend, papers to submit, etc.,.

Life is a never-ending race to most people. The everyday grind builds up stress and fatigue. Stress Reduction has become a priority with individuals as well as organizations. People have different ways of escaping the stress and difficulties of modern life. In my opinion the best ways of reducing stress are meditation, exercise and reading books.

Meditation is an effective way to overcome stress. Meditation not only soothes the mind from tension but also regulates heartbeat and blood pressures. It helps an individual in attaining inner peace and equilibrium. Meditation helps in tapping a person’s inner potential and opens his mind to the universal spirit.

Exercise is another way to reduce stress. Exercising not only promotes health but also improves thinking. When a person exercises the muscles in the body get a workout that in turn burn fat. The burning of fat releases stored energy and the person has an exhilarating feeling. This feeling helps the person to overcome stress. Thus Exercise is very useful tool in stress reduction.

Reading also has a beneficial effect on individuals in stress. Reading a great book is very therapeutic to a person with stress. Reading helps the mind to look at other things and reduces the focus on the person’s difficulties. Elegant poetry and beautiful prose can soothe a person’s mind and help him reduce stress in his life.

In conclusion, meditation, exercise and reading are the best ways to reduce stress.

Task 8 .  Insert the corresponding words.

1. (…) is an effective way to reduce stress.

2. (…) is very therapeutic to a person with stress.

3. (…) not only promotes health but also helps to reduce stress. 

4. Meditation helps in attaining inner peace and (…).

5. Elegant (…) and beautiful (…) can soothe a person’s mind and help him reduce stress.

Task 9.  Find the synonym in the text.

1. timetable

2. peremptory day

3. internal

4. truth, verity

5. useful, helpful, valuable

6. to intimidate  грозить, запугивать

7. invalidity, invalidism

8. damage, lesion

9. follow, escort, attend

10. adviser

Tasks to the texts: Text «The effects of stress» and «Stress»

Task 10. Are these sentences True or False? 

1)  Stress can’t affect the heart. ( T / F )

1. People, suffering from stress often feel anxious. ( T / F )

3) “Stress” means pressure and relax. ( T / F )

4) Stress can cause a person to breathe too slow. ( T / F )

5) “Life is a big headache on a long noisy road” ( T / F )

6) Life is a never-ending race to most people. ( T / F )

7) Meditation isn’t an effective way to overcome stress. ( T / F )

Meditation can affect the stomach. ( T / F )

9) Exercises are also easily affected by stress. ( T / F )

10) Reading also has a beneficial effect on individuals in stress. ( T / F )

Task 11.  Vowels or consonants

1. Insert the vowels, and get the word

1. str_ss,
2. r_sp_r_t_r_,
3.  _sthm_,
4. bl__d,
5. pr_ss_r_,
6. st_m_ch,
7. m__d_,
8. m_nt_l

1. Insert consonants, and get the word

1. _e__e__io_,
2. a__o_o_i__,
3. _ay,
4. _oo__e,
5. _e_i_a_i_o_,
6. _ _ oo_,
7. _ _ _ e _ _,
8. _ u_ _

Task 12.  What is wrong? Correct the mistakes.

1) Stress can yell the heart.

2) They may has panic attacks.

3) Stress can affect moody stomach.

4) I attacks the body.

5) Life is a big headache on a long funny road.

6) Life in the nineteenth century is full of stress.

7) Even children aren’t exempt from this toys.

Meditation isn’t effective way to overcome stress.

                                 Stress causes

Too much stress isn’t good for anyone. For example, feeling a little stress about a test that’s coming up can motivate you to study hard. But stressing out too much over the test can make it hard to concentrate on the material you need to learn.

Pressures that are too intense or last too long, or troubles that are shouldered alone, can cause people to feel stress overload. Here are some of the things that can overwhelm the body’s ability to cope if they continue for a long time:

1) being bullied or exposed to violence or injury

2) relationship stress, family conflicts, or the heavy emotions that can accompany a broken heart or the death of a loved one

3) ongoing problems with schoolwork related to a learning disability or other problems, such as ADHD (usually once the problem is recognized and the person is given the right learning support the stress disappears)

4) crammed schedules, not having enough time to rest and relax, and always being on the go

Some stressful situations can be extreme and may require special attention and care. Posttraumatic stress disorder is a very strong stress reaction that can develop in people who have lived through an extremely traumatic event, such as a serious car accident, a natural disaster like an earthquake, or an assault like rape.

Some people have anxiety problems that can cause them to overreact to stress, making even small difficulties seem like crises. If a person frequently feels tense, upset, worried, or stressed, it may be a sign of anxiety. Anxiety problems usually need attention, and many people turn to professional counselors for help in overcoming them.

Task 13. Answer the questions.

1) What traumatic events can you name?

2) How may people overcome anxiety problems?

3) What can cause people to feel stress overload?

4) What are signs of anxiety problems?

5) How can you explain the term “posttraumatic stress disorder”?

6) What are the things that make people feel stress overload?

Task 14 Complete the sentences.

1) If a person frequently feels tense, upset and worried, it may be …………. .

2) …………. can cause people to overreact to stress.

3) ………….  can develop in people who have lived through an extremely traumatic event.

4) Pressures that are too intense or last too long, can cause people to …………. .

5) Relationship stress, family conflicts and heavy emotions can ………….  .

Task 15.  Insert  the right letters into the words to complete them.

1. Post_ra_matic,
2. e_rthq_ake,
3. anx_ety,
4. co_nsel_r,
5. s_hed_le,
6. pre_s_re,
7. di_abi_ity,
8. fr_q_ently.

Task 16. Match the word to make expressions.

1) ongoing                     stress                      

2) natural                       emotion

3) anxiety                      problems

4) relationship               disability

5) learning                    schedule

6) crammed                   situation

7) stressful                     disaster

heavy                        problem

                                  Stress

Every day you read in newspapers, books and magazines that it is important to avoid stress. Stress can kill, they say. Stay calm. Be relaxed. Slow down. Don’t worry so much and don’t work so hard. Unfortunately, this is difficult. There are always money problems and family problems. Our cities are full of traffic and noise. Stressful situations seem to be everywhere.

When people are under stress they react in different ways. Some people find it difficult to stay calm and often become tense. Little things, like a baby crying, can make them irritated. They get very annoyed if they have to wait just a few minutes too long in a shop or a restaurant. These people are usually very moody. One minute they are fine and the next they can be really angry – absolutely furious. Other people seem to stay calm almost all the time, and rarely get angry. For example, if they are caught in bad traffic, they don’t get frustrated. They sit calmly in their cars, telling themselves that there is nothing they can do about the situation. These people are not moody at all. They don’t change from moment to moment, but always seem to be in control of their emotions.

Some doctors give names to these two personality types: Type A and Type B people. Type A work very hard, worry a lot, and are often bad-tempered. Type  are the opposite. They don’t worry. Work’s not so important to them and they don’t get angry easily. They like to relax a lot and have fun. The doctors say it is better for your health and heart if you are a Type B person.

Task 17. Answer the questions.

1) What should you do to avoid stress?

2) Where can we get the stress?

3) What people are more prone to stress?

4) Is it necessary to control your own  emotions?

5) What advice do the doctors give for the prevention of stress?

6) Does the hard work influence the emotional state of person?

                     Dealing With Stress

We are profoundly affected by stress. Many believe that stress is one of the most destructive elements in our lives today. In reality, it is the way we react to stress that causes us pleasure or pain. The effects of stress can be positive or negative. Positive stress is a motivator for improving lifestyle and negative stress can be destructive to our health.

What is stress?

• It is the nonspecific response of the body to any demands made upon it.
• Stress can be detected by muscle tension, anxiety, increased heart rate, high blood pressure, shallow breathing, silliness and joy.

Positive outcomes of stress include:

Mental Improvement	Emotional Improvement	Physical Improvement
Creativity	Control of life	Energy
Intellect	Mood	Stamina
Goal orientation	Relationships	Able to do anything
Motivation	Experience emotions	Body function

When stress is negative, it causes distress. How we perceive an event is what determines whether it causes negative or positive stress. For some people, public speaking is exhilarating; for others it is terrifying.

Negative outcomes of stress:

Mental effects	Physical effects	Emotional effects
Poor memory	Flushed face	irritability
Unable to concentrate	Rapid breathing	Mood swings
Low self esteem	Dry mouth	Problems sleeping
depression	High blood pressure	Overweight/underweight
Unable to make decisions	Coronary heart disease	Substance abuse
	ulcers	Ineffective use of time
	migraines

Stress and weight gain

The stress response – in a stressful situation, the brain responds by signaling the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol. Cortisol signals the release of glucose and fatty acids to the blood stream to provide energy for muscles. Chronically high cortisol levels lead to increased appetite and fat deposits in the trunk and abdomen. (fight or flight response to a trigger to be used as a “burst” of energy, ends up stored as fat when not “burned” as fuel).

Stress and eating – appetite can increase with stress; we often crave foods high in calories and low in nutrients when under stress.

Suggestion to help solve stress induced weight gain

1. Reduce stress- find a diversion or release
2. Be active- regular physical activity reduces the production of cortisol during stress
3. Be in charge – taking charge of the stressful situation reduces pressure you perceive
4. Rest- when you are sleep deprived cortisol levels increase

Our mind and body are alkaline based. The hormones secreted by stress are acid based and when we are suffering from chronic stress our PH balance is shifted and we become more acid based than alkaline based. This can lead to a multitude of health problems including struggles with weight loss. A few ways to maintain your PH balance are listed below:

Food – choose foods that are blue, green and purple (Blueberries, beet tops, broccoli, eggplant, plums, asparagus) Take Green supplements to bridge the gap.

Music— listen to relaxing music (Bach, Beethoven, Schubert)

Meditative States— Yoga, tai chi, meditation, sleep, massage, laugh, play, walk in nature

Colour Therapy – Wear and look at colours in the blue, green and violet shades

Exercise – releases endorphins that make you feel good! It’s also something you are doing with and for yourself. Time away from the stressful situation can help you to refocus.

Most importantly, do something! Stress and lack of sleep are two of the biggest contributors to weight gain and many health concerns.

How to deal with stress?

Look around  See if there really is something you can change or control in the situation	Set realistic goals for yourself  Reduce the number of events going on in your life and you may reduce the circuit overload
Remove yourself from the stressful situation  Give yourself a break if only for a few moments daily	Don’t overwhelm yourself by fretting about your entire workload. Handle each task as it comes, or selectively deal with matters in some priority
Don’t sweat the small stuff Try to prioritize a few truly important things and let the rest slide	Learn how to best relax yourself  Meditation and breathing exercises have been proven to be very effective in controlling stress. Practice clearing your mind of disturbing thoughts.
Selectively change the way you react,  but not too much at one time. Focus on one troublesome thing and manage your reactions to it/him/her	Change the way you see your situation;  Seek alternative viewpoints. Stress is a reaction to events and problems, and you can lock yourself in to one way of viewing your situation. Seek an outside perspective of the situation, compare it with yours. and perhaps lessen your reaction to these conditions.
Avoid extreme reactions; Why hate when a little dislike will do? Why generate anxiety when you can be nervous? Why rage when anger will do the job? Why be depressed when you can just be sad?	Do something for others to help get your mind off yourself
Get enough sleep Lack of rest just aggravates stress	Work off stress with physical activity, whether it’s jogging, tennis, gardening
Avoid self-medication or escape  Alcohol and drugs can mask stress. They don’t help deal with the problems	Begin to manage the effects of stress  This is a long range strategy of adapting to your situation, and the effects of stress in your life. Try to isolate and work with one «effect» at a time. Don’t overwhelm yourself. for example, if you are not sleeping well, seek help on this one problem.
Try to «use» stress  If you can’t remedy, nor escape from, what is bothering you, flow with it and try to use it in a productive way	Try to be positive  Give yourself messages as to how well you can cope rather than how horrible everything is going to be. «Stress can actually help memory, provided it is short-term and not too severe. Stress causes more glucose to be delivered to the brain, which makes more energy available to neurons. This, in turn, enhances memory formation and retrieval. On the other hand, if stress is prolonged, it can impede the glucose delivery and disrupt memory.»

Task 18.  Choose Positive Outcome Of Stress

1. Poor memory       Ulcers

    Depression           Motivation

2. Mood Swings       Dry mouth

    Stamina                Irritability

3. Migraines              Creativity

    Rapid breathing      Low self esteem

4. High blood pressure             Anxiety                                  

    Improved body function       Shallow breathing

5.  Mental improvement            Problems sleeping

     Flushed face                         Ineffective use of time

Task 19.  Fill In The Gaps

1. Stress is one of the most (…) elements in our lives today.

2. When stress is negative, it causes (…). 

3. Positive stress is a (…) for improving lifestyle. 

4. Stress can be (…) by muscle tension, anxiety, shallow breathing and etc.

5. Stress is the (…) response of the body to any demands made upon it. 

Task 20.  Match two columns

1) Poor               a) abuse

2) Low               b) swings

3) Rapid             c) blood pressure

4) Dry                d) self esteem

5) Mood            e) sleeping

6) Substance      f) face

7) Problems       g) to concentrate

Flushed          h) breathing

9)  Inability        i) mouth

10) High             j) memory

Task 21.  Devide the words into two groups: positive outcome, negative outcome.
Creativity
depression
flushed face
energy
poor memory
stamina
mood
ulcers
mood swings
rapid breathing
control of life
low self esteem

                          Revision

Task 1. Answer the following questions.

1. When we are stressed what happens with our body?
2. Which signs of positive stress do you know?
3. Which signs of negative stress do you know?
4. Can you name the stress causes?
5. How can we deal with stress? (give some examples)

Task 2. True or false.
A. 

1) Stress starts from nothing.
2) When stress is negative, it causes pleasure.
3) Negative stress can be destructive to our health.
4) The effects of stress can be only negative.
5) Stress influences weight
6) Regular physical activity reduces the production of cortisol during stress
7) Yoga, sleep, relaxing music help you to fight with stress
Positive stress makes you be in sorrow

B.

1. We generally use the word “stress” when we feel that everything seems to have become too calm.
2. The expression “Stop the world, I want to get off!” refers to a feeling of euphoria.
3. Long-term stress can lead to a variety of serious mental diseases.
4. Positive stress can be destructive to our health and negative stress is a motivator for improving lifestyle.
5. Meditation is an effective way to cope with stress.

Task 3. Match two columns to make expressions.  

When we are stressed the following happens:

a) blood pressure	1) slows down
b) breathing	2) goes down
c) digestive system	3) sleep
d) immune system	4) becomes more rapid
e) heart rate	5) rises
f) muscles	6) become tense
g) we do not	7) goes down

Task 4. Circle 9 outcomes of stress in the word square.

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ANSWERS

Task1  

Suggested answers.

1. Pulse rises, muscles become tense, immune system goes down, digestive system slows down, breathing becomes more rapid

2) Сortisol, adrenaline, noradrenaline

3) Non-essential

4) Stress is anything that poses a challenge or a threat to our well-being)

5) Fight response, flight response

Task 2   

1. terrify

2. burden

3. equilibrium

4. reduce

5. shun

6. premature

7 .proper

8 .resist

9.anxiety

10.joy

Task 3   

1. allergy
2. increased creativity
3. lack of communication
4. shaking hands
5. to dance
6. can easily lift the mood
7. a reduced feeling of wellbeing
8. people
9. be promoted

Task 4   

1. immune system
2. adrenaline
3. depression
4. nervous system
5. sweating
6. earthquake
7. allergy
8. cortisol
9. cancer
10.  infection

Task 5   

1. precursors of depression.
2. a sign of depression.
3. restore your equilibrium.
4. sustained  unmanaged stress
5. concentrate
6. infections, and cancer
7. solve problems

Task 6   

1. true
2. true
3. false
4. true
5. true
6. true
7. true
8. false
9. true
10. false

Task 7   

1)  mental health            

1. respiratory system        

3)  blood pressure

4)  feel anxious

5) overreact to a little problems    

6) extreme feeling                

7) relieve stress              

overuse of alcohol      

9) long-term stress              

10) affect heart              

Task 8 

1) meditation

2)  reading

3) exercising

4) equilibrium

5) poetry, prose

Task 9   

1. schedule

2. deadline

3. inner

4. soothe

5. benefical

6. bully

7. disability

8. injury

9. accompany

10. counselor

Task 10  

1) false

2) true

3) false

4) false

5) true

6) true

7) false

false

9) false

10) true

Task 11 

A.

1. stress,
2. respiratory,
3. asthma,
4. blood,
5. pressure,
6. stomach,
7. moody,

 mental

B.

1. depression,
2. alcoholism,
3. say,
4. soothe,
5. meditation,
6. blood,
7. stress,
8. burn

Task 12 

1) yell – affect

2) has – have

3) moody

4) I – it

5) funny – noisy

6) nineteenth – twenty first

7) toys – rush

isn’t – is

Task 13. 

1) Some of traumatic events are a car accident, a natural disaster like an earthquake, an assault like rape.

2) People may turn to professional counselors for help in overcoming anxiety problems.

3) Pressures that are too intense or last too long, troubles that are shouldered alone can cause people to feel stress overload.

4) The signs of anxiety problems are frequently feeling tense, upset, worried or stressed.

5) Posttraumatic stress disorder is a very strong stress reaction that can develop in people who lived through an extremely traumatic event.

6) The things that make people feel stress overload are being bullied or exposed to violence, relationship stress, family conflicts, the heavy emotions, ongoing problems with schoolwork, crammed schedules, not having enough time to rest and relax, always being on the go.

Task 14. 

1) a sign of anxiety problems

2) anxiety problems

3) posttraumatic stress disorder

4) feel stress overload

5) overwhelm the person’s ability to cope

Task 15. 

1. Posttraumatic,
2. earthquake,
3. anxiety, counselor,
4. schedule,
5. pressure,
6. disability,
7. frequently.

Task 16. 

1. Ongoing problems,
2. natural disaster,
3. anxiety problem,
4. relationship stress,
5. learning disability,
6. crammed schedule,
7. stressful situation,
8. heavy emotion.

Task 17  

1) You must stay calm and be relaxed.

2) We can get the stress on the work , in the family , or if we have to wait just a few minutes too long in a shop or a restaurant.

3) People who work very hard, worry a lot, and are often bad- tempered.

4) Yes, it is. We must control our emotions.

5) The doctors advice is to relax a lot and have fun.

6) The hard work influence on the emotional state of person and therefore shouldn’t work so hard.

Task 18  

1. Motivation
2.  Stamina        
3.  Creativity      
4.  Improved body function  
5.  Mental improvement  

Task 19  

1) destructive

2) distress

3) motivator

4) detected

5) nonspecific

Task 20  

1. – j)
2. – d)
3. – h)
4. – i)
5. – b)
6. – a)
7. – e)
8. – f)
9. – g)

10)– c)

Task 21   Смирнова

positive outcomes	negative outcomes.
Creativity energy stamina mood control of life	depression flushed face poor memory ulcers mood swings rapid breathing low self esteem

Revision

Task 1.

Suggested answers.

1. When we are stressed the following things happen: blood pressure rises, breathing becomes more rapid, heart rate rises, immune system goes down, muscles become tense and problems sleeping.
2. I know the following signs of positive stress: increased creativity, increased productivity at work and on a personal level, a general feeling of wellbeing, happiness and joy, an immune system that functions optimally and is able to resist illness, infections, and cancer.
3. I know some negative signs, it is reduced productivity and creativity, a reduce feeling of wellbeing, joy and happiness, all sort of unfortunate things happen to you, you start avoiding social contact, your immune system functions poorly and suffers from colds, influenza, allergies, chronic fatigue, anxiety etc…, the ageing process accelerates because of the increased metabolism associated with sustained, unmanaged stress.
4. The stress causes maybe different, for example if you are being bullied or exposed to violence or injury, relationship stress, family conflicts, or the heavy emotions that can accompany a broken heart or the death of a loved one, problems with schoolwork related to a learning disability or other problems, crammed schedules.
5. If you want to get rid of stress you should remove yourself from the stressful situation, don’t overwhelm yourself, change the way you see your situation, avoid extreme reactions, work off stress, get enough sleep and enjoy your life!

Task 2.  

A.

1. false
2. false
3. true
4. false
5. true
6. true
7. true
8. false

B.

1. False
2. False
3. True
4. False
5. True

Task 3 .  

1. 5
2. 4
3. 1
4. 7
5. 2
6. 6
7. 3

Task 4 .  

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Discover 25 more articles on this topic

When you hear the word “stress”, isn’t it that you fret a little bit because you know that stress has been affecting your whole life? Well, you’re not alone. Each one of us has his own feelings towards stress, and those feelings are more on the negative effects of stress.

Defining Stress

Strictly defined, stress is the physical, mental and emotional human response to a particular stimulus, otherwise called as ‘stressor’.

For instance, if you are to start with making your thesis, the thesis itself is not the stimulus, rather it’s the deadline, the depth of the subject, the extent of research to be done, and even your partners in your research group are just some of the many potential stimuli that can influence your response. The way you respond to these stimuli is exactly what stress is. Stress is the mismatch between the perceived obstacle and the perceived resources for coping with the «demands» of the obstacle.

The stress response may be thought of as the general component common in all emotions, general adaption syndrom, where the strength of the response predetermine the strength of the emotion. Actually this also applies to positive feelings.

How does stress affect performance?

The Two Faces of Stress

Stress can be negative or positive, depending on the level of our response to the stressors we encounter.

Apparently, most of us only think about the bad sides of stress. Negative stress are actually about stress that are beyond one’s control. This bad impact of severe stress is often manifested in physical and mental signs and symptoms.

However, when we are only exposed to mild or moderate stress, we are actually able to experience the good side of stress, which include improved creativity, learning, efficiency at work and, eventually, a higher level of self-esteem that could lead us to be able to withstand a higher stress levels in the future.

Causes of Stress

What is stressful for one person may not be the same for another, that is why the causes of stress is diverse and individualized. The most common stressors, though, include hectic work schedule, heavy work load, family and relationship problems, and financial problems. While these popular stressors are often pointed as the culprits for stress, do you know that even positive life moments, like getting married, may also act as stressors?

As long as something demands for your efforts or pushes you to work on it, it can be called a stressor. Choosing a university to go to, getting married, selecting a car, and other great life events can be stressful for you. With all these stressors around you, you need to learn about stress management techniques in order to maintain the balance in your life.

Summary

• What is stress?
• What makes us stressed?
• What are the signs of stress?
• Who is affected by stress?
• How can you help yourself?
• Get professional help

What is stress?

Stress is our body’s response to pressure. Many different situations or life events can cause stress. It is often triggered when we experience something new or unexpected that threatens our sense of self or when we feel we have little control over a situation.

We all deal with stress differently. Our ability to cope can depend on our genetics, early life events, personality and social and economic circumstances.

When we encounter stress, our body produces stress hormones that trigger a fight or flight response and activate our immune system. This helps us respond quickly to dangerous situations.

Sometimes, this stress response can be helpful. It can help us push through fear or pain so we can run a marathon or deliver a speech, for example. Our stress hormones usually return to normal quickly once the stressful event is over, and there won’t be any lasting effects.

However, too much stress can cause adverse effects. It can leave us in a permanent stage of fight or flight, leaving us overwhelmed or unable to cope. Long term, this can affect our physical and mental health.

What makes us stressed?

Many things can lead to stress: bereavement, divorce or separation, losing a job or unexpected money problems. Work-related stress can also have a negative impact on your mental health. People affected by work-related stress lose an average of 24 days of work due to ill health.

Even positive life changes, such as moving to a bigger house, gaining a job promotion or going on holiday, can be sources of stress. If you feel stressed in these situations, you may struggle to understand why or be unwilling to share your feelings with others.

What are the signs of stress?

How you might feel:

• anxious
• afraid
• angry or aggressive
• sad
• irritable
• frustrated
• depressed

These feelings can sometimes produce physical symptoms, making you feel even worse.

How your body might react:

• headaches
• nausea
• indigestion
• digestive problems such as constipation, bloating or diarrhoea
• shallow breathing or hyperventilating
• sweating
• heart palpitations
• aches and pains

How you might behave:

• withdraw from other people or snap at them
• be indecisive or inflexible
• be tearful
• have problems getting to sleep or staying asleep
• experience sexual problems
• smoke, drink alcohol or take drugs more than usual

If the stress is long-lasting, you may notice your sleep and memory are affected, your eating habits change, or you feel less inclined to exercise.

Some research has also linked long-term stress to gastrointestinal conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or stomach ulcers and conditions like cardiovascular disease.

Who is affected by stress?

All of us can probably recognise some of the feelings described above. Some people seem to be more affected by stress than others. For some people, getting out of the door on time each morning can be a very stressful experience, whereas others may be less affected by a great deal of pressure.

Some people are more likely to experience stressful situations than others. For example:

• people with a lot of debt or financial insecurity are more likely to be stressed about money
• people from minority ethnic groups or who are LGBTQIA+ are more likely to be stressed about prejudice or discrimination
• people with disabilities or long-term health conditions are more likely to be stressed about their health or the stigma associated with them

How can you help yourself?

If you’re feeling stressed, there are some things you can try to feel less tense and overwhelmed.

1. Recognise when stress is a problem
   Connecting the physical and emotional signs you’re experiencing to the pressures you face is important. Don’t ignore physical warning signs such as tense muscles, tiredness, headaches or migraines.
   Think about what’s causing your stress. Sort them into issues with a practical solution, things that will get better with time and things you can’t do anything about. Take control by taking small steps towards the things you can improve.
   Make a plan to address the things that you can. This might involve setting yourself realistic expectations and prioritising essential commitments. If you feel overwhelmed, ask for help and say no to things you can’t take on.
    
2. Think about where you can make changes
   Are you taking on too much? Could you hand over some things to someone else? Can you do things in a more leisurely way? You may need to prioritise things and reorganise your life, so you’re not trying to do everything at once.
    
3. Build supportive relationships
   Find close friends or family who can offer help and practical advice that can support you in managing stress. Joining a club or a course can help to expand your social network and encourage you to do something different. Activities like volunteering can change your perspective and have a beneficial impact on your mood.
    
4. Eat healthily
   A healthy diet can improve your mood. Getting enough nutrients (including essential vitamins and minerals) and water can help your mental well-being.
    
5. Be aware of your smoking and drinking
   Cut down or cut out smoking and drinking if you can. They may seem to reduce tension but actually make problems worse. Alcohol and caffeine can increase feelings of anxiety.
    
6. Get some exercise
   Physical exercise can help manage the effects of stress by producing endorphins that boost your mood. It can be hard to motivate yourself if you’re stressed, but even a little bit of activity can make a difference. For example, you could aim to walk for 15-20 minutes three times a week.
    
7. Take time out
   Take time to relax and practice self-care, where you do positive things for yourself. Striking a balance between responsibility to others and responsibility to yourself is vital in reducing stress levels.
    
8. Be mindful
   Mindfulness meditation can be practised anywhere at any time. Research has suggested it can be helpful for managing and reducing the effect of stress and anxiety.
    
9. Get some restful sleep
   If you’re having difficulty sleeping, you can try to reduce the amount of caffeine you consume and avoid too much screen time before bed. Write down a to-do list for the next day to help you prioritise, but make sure you put it aside before bed. Read our guide’ How to sleep better’ for more tips on getting a good night’s sleep.
    
10. Be kind to yourself
    Try to keep things in perspective, and don’t be too hard on yourself. Look for positive things in your life, and write down things that make you feel grateful.

Get professional help

If you continue to feel overwhelmed by stress, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Getting help as soon as possible is important so you can start feeling better.

Talk to your doctor about how you’re feeling. They should be able to advise you on treatment and may refer you for further help. They may suggest talking therapies such as:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help reduce stress by changing the ways you think about stressful situations
• brief interpersonal counselling, which can give you the chance to talk about what causes you stress and develop coping strategies
• mindfulness-based approaches.

If your stress is work-related, our page on work-life balance may help. If you feel comfortable, talk to your manager or HR team about how you’re feeling to see if they can make changes to your workload or hours. You could contact your workplace for confidential support or counselling if your workplace has an Employee Assistance Scheme.

Stress is our body’s natural physical and mental response to challenges or changes. It may help you overcome obstacles and push yourself to new levels of personal growth.

When your body’s stress response system starts dysfunctioning, though, the same feelings can become barriers and limit your ability to perform at your best. Research has even shown that stress can trigger or aggravate several conditions and impair the functioning of different body systems.

Symptoms

The body’s autonomic nervous system controls your heart rate, breathing, and other body processes that take place without conscious effort. It triggers the fight-or-flight response during stressful situations, causing an increased heart rate, dilated pupils, and more. Continued activation of this response can cause wear and tear on the body and result in physical and emotional symptoms.

Physical symptoms of stress include:

• Muscle tension
• Tension-type headaches or body pains
• Back pain
• Chest pain or a feeling that your heart is racing
• Stomachaches
• Paleness or flushed skin
• Headaches, dizziness, or shaking
• Shortness of breath or rapid breathing
• Increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure
• Exhaustion or trouble sleeping
• Digestive issues like bloating, diarrhea, or nausea 

Emotional and mental symptoms of stress can include:

• Anxiety or irritability
• Depression
• Panic attacks
• Sadness

Recognizing Stress

Ways to recognize stress include:

• Paying attention to how deeply you are breathing
• Taking note of any overeating, compulsive shopping, or other unhealthy behaviors since many people engage in these behaviors to relieve stress
• Considering how many conflicts you’re experiencing with other people 
• Keeping a log of your moods over a month to see how they fluctuate
• Asking yourself how you are sleeping at night and how rested you feel

There will be times when you experience heightened levels of stress and where it seems like everything that can go wrong, does. At such moments, it can be more useful to consider not if you’re stressed, but how stressed you actually are.

Some online screening tools can help you check in with yourself are:

• Stress Screener from Mental Health America 
• «Stress Fit» Test from the Heart and Stroke Foundation

Causes

There are so many things that can trigger the fight-or-flight response, which is your body’s natural reaction to stress. When something or someone triggers the stress response, your body goes into immediate action to either confront the threat or flee.

Physically, when you feel stressed, what you’re actually feeling is your nervous system signaling a flood of hormones to be released from your adrenal glands, such as cortisol (the stress hormone) and epinephrine (adrenaline). Adrenaline is responsible for the physical symptoms you experience, such as a rapid heartbeat.

Risk Factors

We are all wired to feel stress, but some people have a greater risk of experiencing unhealthy levels of stress than others, including:

• People who are over 50 and the caregiver of a family member
• People who have obesity
• People who have depression

Other risk factors include life stressors like:

• Growing up in a challenging environment 
• Not learning or using stress management skills
• Living with chronic illness
• Being a victim of crime or abuse
• Experiencing family or financial stress, including custody and housing issues
• Not having a work-life balance
• Living in poverty
• Being homeless
• Not having a support system 
• Abusing substances

Types

Acute stress

Acute stress, or sudden stress, is stress that comes on quickly and resolves when the perceived or actual threat is removed. People often experience this type of stress after an unexpected life crisis like an accident, a loss, or other types of trauma.

Chronic stress

Chronic stress is long-term stress. With this type of stress, the body never receives a clear signal to return to normal functioning. Over time, continued strain on your body from stress may contribute to serious health problems. Chronic stress is associated with immune system dysfunction and diseases, especially those related to your heart. 

Eustress

Eustress means beneficial stress. It is associated with excitement or motivation, such as riding a roller coaster or going to your first day at a new job.

Episodic acute stress

Episodic acute stress is when someone experiences intense stress on a regular basis. It can happen in professionals who face a great deal of high-stress situations, such as law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency responders.

Side Effects

Side effects of stress may include:

• Becoming easily distracted
• Neglecting self-care
• Losing sleep and developing insomnia
• Taking your stress out on others 
• Overextending your energy

Complications

Physical and mental health conditions that can be triggered by stress or worsened by stress include:

• Metabolic disorders like obesity or diabetes
• Depression
• Immune disorders
• Heart conditions
• Stress ulcers 
• Anxiety disorders

Treatment

Before you can address any long-term stress issues, you need to get a handle on your current levels of stress. Talk to your healthcare team about ways you can integrate some or all of the following treatment options into your everyday routine.

Therapy

A therapist can help you see any patterns or connections between your current issues and stress. Therapists can also help you address underlying beliefs contributing to your stress and conflicts. When you gain better clarity of what’s causing your reactions, you are better equipped to change your stress response in the future.

Medications

Sometimes medications may be necessary to help you through a particularly stressful time. Your doctor may prescribe the following medications:

• Benzodiazepines like Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam)
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including medications like Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), and Lexapro (escitalopram)
• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) like Effexor (venlafaxine), Cymbalta (duloxetine), and Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)
• Tricyclic antidepressants like Elavil (amitriptyline), Norpramin (desipramine), and Sinequan (doxepin)

Alternative Medicine

You can try the following alternative treatments for relieving stress:

• Acupuncture
• EFT Tapping
• Herbal remedies (teas, oils, tinctures)
• Meditation 
• Massage therapy

Lifestyle

You can’t avoid stress, but you can stop it from becoming overwhelming by practicing some daily strategies, including:

• Exercise when you feel symptoms of stress coming on. Even a short walk can boost your mood.
• At the end of each day, take a moment to think about what you’ve accomplished, not what you didn’t get done.
• Set goals for your day, week, and month. Narrowing your view will help you feel more in control of the moment and long-term tasks.
• Get regular exercise. Just 30 minutes per day of walking can help boost your mood and improve your health.
• Try a relaxing activity. Explore relaxation or wellness programs, which may incorporate meditation, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. Schedule regular times for these and other healthy and relaxing activities.
• Stay connected. Keep in touch with people who can provide emotional support and practical help. Ask for help from friends, family, and community or religious organizations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a stress rash look like?

Stress can trigger a variety of skin flare-ups in susceptible individuals. Stress rashes vary in appearance, but most resemble hives, which are red, raised areas of skin that may be bumpy. The rash can also itch, tingle, or burn.

How do you stop stress eating?

You can stop stress eating by becoming more mindful of your eating behavior and triggers and by developing other techniques to deal with stress. You can get help from a dietitian, a doctor, or a mental health professional. 

How do you make stress your friend?

You can make stress your friend by recognizing its importance and keeping it within healthy levels with daily stress-relieving activities and a healthy lifestyle. This should include a balanced diet, proper sleep, and regular exercise. 

Why do men and women handle stress differently?

Men and women are said to handle stress differently to some degree because they generally have different levels and fluctuations of key hormones, including oxytocin. 

Summary

Stress can motivate us, but it can also stop us from doing our best, especially when it becomes a chronic health issue. When you are stressed, you experience symptoms that are a result of your body’s fight-or-flight response.

Prolonged activation of this response can potentially lead to serious health problems like heart disease. The best way to manage stress is to develop healthy coping mechanisms, such as practicing deep breathing exercises, and a healthy lifestyle.

A Word From Verywell

We all experience some level of stress at times. However, if it’s becoming a persistent problem or you’re not sure how to cope in healthy ways, it’s time to talk to a professional.

There are many external factors in our world that can contribute to stress. Although we can’t control many of these, we can more readily deal with the stress we have in our homes and workplaces if we learn healthy ways of coping with it and minimizing its impact on our daily lives.

What is stress?

Stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. When you sense danger—whether it’s real or imagined—the body’s defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction or the “stress response.”

The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you. When working properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress can save your life—giving you extra strength to defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to slam on the brakes to avoid a car accident.

Stress can have other positive aspects, sometimes referred to as “eustress.” For example, it can help you rise to meet challenges such as keeping you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpening your concentration when you’re attempting a game-winning free throw, or driving you to study for an exam when you’d rather be watching TV.

But while not all stress is bad for you, beyond a certain point, it stops being helpful and starts to cause major damage. Stress that feels overwhelming can have a negative impact on your health, mood, productivity, relationships, and your quality of life.

If you frequently find yourself feeling frazzled and overwhelmed, it’s time to take action to bring your nervous system back into balance. You can protect yourself—and improve how you think and feel—by learning how to recognize the signs and symptoms of chronic stress and taking steps to reduce its harmful effects.

How stress works: The stress response

When you feel threatened or in danger, your body’s stress or “fight or flight” response is automatically triggered. Your nervous system releases a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, which rouse the body for emergency action.

Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed up your reaction time, and enhance your focus—preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand.

Stress doesn’t always look stressful

Psychologist Connie Lillas uses a driving analogy to describe the three most common ways people respond when they’re overwhelmed by stress:

Foot on the gas. An angry, agitated, or “fight” stress response. You’re heated, keyed up, overly emotional, and unable to sit still.

Foot on the brake. A withdrawn, depressed, or “flight” stress response. You shut down, pull away, space out, and show very little energy or emotion.

Foot on both. A tense or “freeze” stress response. You become frozen under pressure and can’t do anything. You look paralyzed, but under the surface you’re extremely agitated.

Eustress vs. distress

It can be helpful to think of stress as being on a spectrum. At one end, you have “eustress” or positive stress, the manageable levels of stress that can motivate you to meet challenges at work, school, or in your personal life. While eustress may take you out of your comfort zone, it can help you to meet the challenge of a job interview or first date, for example, or complete a project at school or work that means stretching yourself and learning new skills.

At the other end of the spectrum, you have “distress,” the stress that makes you feel overwhelmed. This negative stress can damage your mood and outlook, disrupt your sleep, and trigger health issues such as depression and anxiety. Distress occurs when you feel you’re under more stress than you can handle, whether it’s from feeling too busy at work, not having enough money, or suffering an illness or bereavement.

Everyone experiences stress differently

Your individual perception of stress can also affect whether you experience positive eustress or negative distress in a situation. For example, if an impending work deadline leaves you feeling worried, exhausted, and overwhelmed by, you’ll likely experience distress. On the other hand, if you the same impending deadline makes you feel excited about the positive affect it could have on your career, then stress you experience is more likely to be eustress, motivating and helpful.

Similarly, something that’s stressful for one person may not faze someone else; they may even enjoy it. While some of us are terrified of getting up in front of people to speak, for example, others live for the spotlight. And while you may enjoy helping to care for your elderly parents, your siblings may find the demands of caretaking overwhelming and stressful.

How stress can make you sick

Your nervous system isn’t very good at distinguishing between emotional and physical threats. If you’re super stressed over an argument with a friend, a work deadline, or a mountain of bills, your body can react just as strongly as if you’re facing a true life-or-death situation. And the more your emergency stress system is activated, the easier it becomes to trigger, making it harder to shut off.

If you tend to get stressed out frequently, like many of us in today’s demanding world, your body may exist in a heightened state of stress most of the time. And that can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can suppress your immune system, upset your digestive and reproductive systems, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, and speed up the aging process. It can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems.

Health problems caused or exacerbated by stress include:

1. Depression and anxiety.
2. Pain of any kind.
3. Sleep problems, such as insomnia.
4. Autoimmune diseases.
5. Digestive problems.
6. Skin conditions, such as eczema, stress rash, or hives.
7. Heart disease and high blood pressure.
8. Weight problems.
9. Reproductive issues.
10. Thinking and memory problems.

Signs and symptoms of chronic stress

When you’re stressed out, the hormones produced by your body in a stressful situation can trigger a variety of physical and emotional responses.

• You may feel sick or dizzy, anxious, worried, or nervous, or become tense, angry, short-tempered, or even despairing.
• Physically, you may react by sweating excessively, experiencing muscle aches, chest pains, blurred eyesight, or itchy skin.

But many symptoms of stress can be less immediately noticeable. That’s because the most dangerous thing about stress is how easily it can creep up on you. In fact, many of us simply get used to it. After a while, feeling constantly stressed can start to feel familiar, even normal. You don’t notice how much it’s affecting you, even as it takes a heavy toll on your health and well-being.

That’s why it’s important to be aware of the common symptoms of excessive stress. These include:

Cognitive symptoms:

• Memory problems.
• Inability to concentrate.
• Poor judgment.
• Seeing only the negative.
• Anxious or racing thoughts.
• Constant worrying.

Emotional symptoms:

• Depression or general unhappiness.
• Anxiety and agitation.
• Moodiness, irritability, or anger.
• Feeling overwhelmed.
• Loneliness and isolation.
• Other mental or emotional health problems.

Physical symptoms:

• Aches and pains.
• Diarrhea or constipation.
• Nausea, dizziness.
• Chest pain, rapid heart rate.
• Loss of sex drive.
• Frequent colds or flu.

Behavioral symptoms:

• Eating more or less.
• Sleeping too much or too little.
• Withdrawing from others.
• Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities.
• Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax.
• Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing).

The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship. However, anything that puts high demands on you can be stressful. This includes positive events such as getting married, buying a house, going to college, or receiving a promotion.

Of course, not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be internal or self-generated, when you worry excessively about something that may or may not happen, or have irrational, pessimistic thoughts about life.

Finally, what causes stress depends, at least in part, on your perception of it. Something that’s stressful to you may not faze someone else; they may even enjoy it. While some of us are terrified of getting up in front of people to perform or speak, for example, others live for the spotlight. Where one person thrives under pressure and performs best in the face of a tight deadline, another will shut down when work demands escalate. And while you may enjoy helping to care for your elderly parents, your siblings may find the demands of caretaking overwhelming and stressful.

Common external causes of stress include:

• Major life changes.
• Work or school problems.
• Relationship difficulties.
• Financial troubles.
• Being too busy.
• Children and family.

Common internal causes of stress include:

• Pessimism, a negative outlook on life.
• Inability to accept uncertainty.
• Rigid thinking, lack of flexibility.
• Negative self-talk.
• Unrealistic expectations/perfectionism.
• All-or-nothing attitude.

Top 10 stressful life events

According to the widely validated Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, these are the top ten stressful life events for adults that can contribute to illness:

• Death of a spouse
• Divorce
• Marriage separation
• Imprisonment
• Death of a close family member
• Injury or illness
• Marriage
• Job loss
• Marriage reconciliation
• Retirement

What’s stressful for you?

Whatever event or situation is stressing you out, there are ways of coping with the problem and regaining your balance. Some of life’s most common sources of stress include:

Stress at work

While some workplace stress is normal, excessive stress can interfere with your productivity and performance, impact your physical and emotional health, and affect your relationships and home life. It can even determine the difference between success and failure on the job. Whatever your ambitions or work demands, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from the damaging effects of stress, improve your job satisfaction, and bolster your well-being in and out of the workplace.

Job loss and unemployment stress

Losing a job is one of life’s most stressful experiences. It’s normal to feel angry, hurt, or depressed, grieve for all that you’ve lost, or feel anxious about what the future holds. Job loss and unemployment involves a lot of change all at once, which can rock your sense of purpose and self-esteem. While the stress can seem overwhelming, there are many steps you can take to come out of this difficult period stronger, more resilient, and with a renewed sense of purpose.

Financial stress

Many of us, from all over the world and from all walks of life, are having to deal with financial stress and uncertainty at this difficult time. Whether your problems stem from a loss of work, escalating debt, unexpected expenses, or a combination of factors, financial worry is one of the most common stressors in modern life. But there are ways to get through these tough economic times, ease stress and anxiety, and regain control of your finances.

Retirement

No matter how much you’ve been looking forward to it, retiring from work can bring stress as well as benefits. Escaping the daily grind and a long commute can seem like a great relief at first. But after a few months you may miss the sense of identity, meaning, and purpose that came with work, the structure it gave your days, and the social aspect of having co-workers. To help you through the stress of retirement, there are healthy ways to make adjustments and deal with this major life change.

Caregiver stress

The demands of caregiving can be overwhelming, especially if you feel that you’re in over your head or have little control over the situation. If the stress of caregiving is left unchecked, it can take a toll on your health, relationships, and state of mind — eventually leading to burnout. However, there are plenty of things you can do to rein in the stress of caregiving and regain a sense of balance, joy, and hope in your life.

Grief and loss

Coping with the loss of someone or something you love is one of life’s biggest stressors. Often, the pain and stress of loss can feel overwhelming. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, from shock or anger to disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. While there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can ease your sadness and help you come to terms with your loss, find new meaning, and move on with your life.

How much stress is too much?

Because of the widespread damage stress can cause, it’s important to know your own limit. But just how much stress is “too much” differs from person to person. Some people seem to be able to roll with life’s punches, while others tend to crumble in the face of small obstacles or frustrations. Some people even thrive on the excitement of a high-stress lifestyle.

Factors that influence your stress tolerance level include:

Your support network. A strong network of supportive friends and family members is an enormous buffer against stress. When you have people you can count on, life’s pressures don’t seem as overwhelming. On the flip side, the lonelier and more isolated you are, the greater your risk of succumbing to stress.

Your sense of control. If you have confidence in yourself and your ability to influence events and persevere through challenges, it’s easier to take stress in stride. On the other hand, if you believe that you have little control over your life—that you’re at the mercy of your environment and circumstances—stress is more likely to knock you off course.

Your attitude and outlook. The way you look at life and its inevitable challenges makes a huge difference in your ability to handle stress. If you’re generally hopeful and optimistic, you’ll be less vulnerable. Stress-hardy people tend to embrace challenges, have a stronger sense of humor, believe in a higher purpose, and accept change as an inevitable part of life.

Your ability to deal with your emotions. If you don’t know how to calm and soothe yourself when you’re feeling sad, angry, or troubled, you’re more likely to become stressed and agitated. Having the ability to identify and deal appropriately with your emotions can increase your tolerance to stress and help you bounce back from adversity.

Your knowledge and preparation. The more you know about a stressful situation, including how long it will last and what to expect, the easier it is to cope. For example, if you go into surgery with a realistic picture of what to expect post-op, a painful recovery will be less stressful than if you were expecting to bounce back immediately.

How well do you handle stress in your life?

Ask yourself which of these statements apply to you:

1. I have people I confide in when I’m feeling under pressure who make me feel better.
2. I feel comfortable expressing how I feel when something is bothering me.
3. In general, I feel in control of my life and confident in my ability to handle what comes my way.
4. I find reasons to laugh and feel grateful, even when going through difficulties.
5. No matter how busy I am, I make it a priority to sleep, exercise, and eat right.
6. I’m able to calm myself down when I start to feel overwhelmed.

Each “yes” answer represents an important stress coping skill. Each “no” represents an area to work on to better deal with stress and become more resilient.

Improving your ability to handle stress

Improving how well you handle stress means building your resilience. The more resilient you are, the better you’re able to not just tolerate stress, but also cope with uncertainty and adversity, and rebound from setbacks in life.

Resilience isn’t a quality that you’re either born with or not. Rather, it’s something that you can learn to build over time.  

Building resilience can help you to:

• Stay focused and productive in stressful circumstances.
• Improve how well you communicate under pressure.
• Feel more confident when facing hardships, setbacks, or uncertainty.
• Maintain control of your emotions when you’re stressed out—even strong ones like anger or despair.

[Read: Surviving Tough Times by Building Resilience]

Tips to relieve stress and build resilience

Get moving. Upping your activity level is one tactic you can employ right now to help relieve stress and start to feel better. Regular exercise can lift your mood and serve as a distraction from worries, allowing you to break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that feed stress. Rhythmic exercises such as walking, running, swimming, and dancing are particularly effective, especially if you exercise mindfully (focusing your attention on the physical sensations you experience as you move).

Connect to others. The simple act of talking face-to-face with another human can trigger hormones that relieve stress when you’re feeling agitated or insecure. Even just a brief exchange of kind words or a friendly look from another human being can help calm and soothe your nervous system. So, spend time with people who improve your mood and don’t let your responsibilities keep you from having a social life. If you don’t have any close relationships, or your relationships are the source of your stress, make it a priority to build stronger and more satisfying connections.

Engage your senses. Another fast way to relieve stress is by engaging one or more of your senses—sight, sound, taste, smell, touch, or movement. The key is to find the sensory input that works for you. Does listening to an uplifting song make you feel calm? Or smelling ground coffee? Or maybe petting an animal works quickly to make you feel centered? Everyone responds to sensory input a little differently, so experiment to find what works best for you.

Learn to relax. You can’t completely eliminate stress from your life, but you can control how much it affects you. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing activate the body’s relaxation response, a state of restfulness that is the polar opposite of the stress response. When practiced regularly, these activities can reduce your everyday stress levels and boost feelings of joy and serenity. They also increase your ability to stay calm and collected under pressure.

Eat a healthy diet. The food you eat can improve or worsen your mood and affect your ability to cope with life’s stressors. Eating a diet full of processed and convenience food, refined carbohydrates, and sugary snacks can worsen symptoms of stress, while a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, high-quality protein, and omega-3 fatty acids, can help you better cope with life’s ups and downs.

Get your rest. Feeling tired can increase stress by causing you to think irrationally. At the same time, chronic stress can disrupt your sleep. Whether you’re having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, there are plenty of ways to improve your sleep so you feel less stressed and more productive and emotionally balanced.

[Read: Stress Management]

Last updated or reviewed on April 5, 2023